SpaceX launch LIVE: Falcon 9 rocket launches NROL-172 mission

Added: 2026-05-13

[00:00:00]Conditions look favorable, and teams are tracking no issues.

[00:00:03]Next up in the countdown, the transporter erector, or TE, will begin to retract away from Falcon 9.

[00:00:09]First, we'll see the clamps around the second stage open.

[00:00:13]As you just heard that, strongback retract has started, which means the clamp arms are beginning to open around the second stage.

[00:00:29]The clamps help stabilize the second stage during fueling and prevent movement in high winds. Once they're open, the rocket will be fully free at the top, but will still be held down at the base.

[00:00:40]You may hear the strongback the TE called the strongback. Though the strongback is just one of the components of the transporter erector.

[00:00:47]The transporter erector has two components, a strongback alongside Falcon 9, and a launch mount underneath.

[00:00:53]The launch mount has the four hold-downs that release at T0.

[00:01:09]As you can see on your screen, the strongback has retracted away from Falcon 9.

[00:01:15]The strongback is hinged at the launch mount and is going to rotate a few degrees away from Falcon 9.

[00:01:21]At liftoff, the strongback will rotate further away to clear way for Falcon 9.

[00:01:36]We should expect stage one LOX load to complete in just a few seconds.

[00:01:41]The first stage is fully loaded around T- minus 3 minutes, with the second stage finishing about a minute later.

[00:01:49]At And now stage one has completed load loading. At this stage in the countdown, the rocket is nearly fully loaded with about a million pounds of propellant.

[00:01:59]That includes rocket propellant one or RP-1, a highly refined kerosene, and liquid oxygen or LOX chilled to roughly 300° Fahrenheit below zero.

[00:02:10]Looking ahead in the count at T-60 seconds, Falcon 9 will enter startup. At that point, the rocket's onboard flight computers will take over. From there on out, the countdown is fully autonomous.

[00:02:21]Just inside of T-2 seconds, the nine Merlin 1D engines will ignite, and once they're at full power, Falcon 9 will lift off from the pad and begin its climb to orbit.

[00:02:31]At T-2 minutes and 8 seconds, the range is green, the payload remains healthy, and the team is still tracking no issues. Stage two LOX loading should finish up just inside the T-2 minute mark.

[00:02:57]We just received confirmation that stage two LOX load has completed. Falcon 9 is now fully loaded with 1 million pounds of RP-1 and LOX. Coming up shortly, we can expect the gas closeouts to begin.

[00:03:13]Ground gas closeouts have started. That refers to venting and closing out gaseous systems, such as topping off tanks and sealing vents to maintain pressure. Coming up in just a few seconds, Falcon 9 will enter startup.

[00:03:28]You can see on your screen some of that gas being vented now.

[00:03:42]Startup.

[00:03:44]Falcon 9 has entered startup. At this point, the autonomous flight computers have taken over the launch countdown, and both stages are pressurizing for launch.

[00:03:52]We're now just waiting for the final go no-go from the launch director.

[00:03:57]Launch director, go for launch.

[00:04:00]We have received a go for launch from the launch director. Let's sit back and watch as Falcon 9 takes NROL-172 to space.

[00:04:10]T-minus 30 seconds.

[00:04:25]T-minus 15 seconds.

[00:04:30]T-minus 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, ignition.

[00:04:42]And liftoff of the Falcon 9. Go SpaceX, go NROL-172.

[00:04:52]Vehicle is pitching down range.

[00:04:56]And windy chamber pressures are nominal.

[00:05:13]At T plus 30 seconds and counting, Falcon 9 has successfully lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

[00:05:20]We're now throttling down the engines to prepare for max Q, the point of maximum aerodynamic pressure during ascent.

[00:05:26]>> Power and telemetry nominal.

[00:05:28]Max Q occurs when the combination of speed and air pressure put the greatest stress on the vehicle. That should be coming up in just about 10 seconds.

[00:05:41]Falcon 9 is supersonic.

[00:05:53]>> Max Q.

[00:05:56]And there's that call out for Max Q.

[00:05:58]Coming up next are several major events in quick succession. Main engine cut off, stage separation, second engine start, and fairing separation. Main engine cut off, or MECO, is when all nine engines on the first stage shut down. This is followed by stage sep- >> aration, where the first and second stages are pushed apart. A few seconds later, the second stage engine will ignite to continue pushing towards orbit. This is known as second engine start one, or SES-1.

[00:06:26]Shortly after, the two fairing halves will separate and fall away, exposing the payload to space.

[00:06:31]We should begin hearing the first of these call outs in just about 1 minute.

[00:07:00]We are now just a few seconds away from the beginning of those events. As a reminder, that will be MECO, stage sep, and SES-1.

[00:07:09]MECO.

[00:07:12]Stage separation confirmed.

[00:07:19]MVAC startup.

[00:07:23]And confirmation for that series of events, which again were MECO, stage separation, and SES-1, or MVAC start.

[00:07:31]Coming up next will be fairing separation.

[00:07:33]Once the vehicle reaches the vacuum of space, the payload fairings are no longer necessary and will be jettisoned and retrieved. As a reminder, >> confirmed.

[00:07:42]There's the call out for fairing separation. As a reminder, we will not be showing any views of stage two today.

[00:07:58]If you're just joining us, you're watching live coverage of the NROL 172 mission. We had an on-time liftoff at 7:13 p.m. Pacific time from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base. In order to make its way back to Earth today, >> All vehicles are following nominal trajectories.

[00:08:16]We just heard a good call out there for all vehicles.

[00:08:20]In order to make its way back to Earth today, the Falcon 9 first stage has two more burns to execute. Next up is the entry burn, which helps to slow the stage down as it reenters the upper part of the Earth's atmosphere. Following the entry burn, shortly thereafter, the booster will initiate the landing burn, which will slow the vehicle down before landing on our drone ship.

[00:08:39]You should hear the call out for that entry burn just about 2 minutes from now.

[00:08:44]During the entry burn, Falcon 9 is decelerating by firing its Merlin engines in the direction that it's moving. This causes it to fly through the engine's exhaust gases, which deposit a layer of soot on the vehicle surface. This gives our flight proven vehicles their characteristic look. That soot comes from the carbon-based fuel that Falcon 9 uses, and with each flight, the soot builds up a little more on the outside of the vehicle.

[00:09:16]We are just over a minute and a half away from the beginning of the entry burn.

[00:09:23]As you can see on your screen, Falcon 9 is equipped with four hypersonic grid fins, which are positioned near the top of the first stage and used for steering as it returns to Earth. These are the primary aerodynamic control surfaces for the first stage during atmospheric re-entry and descent.

[00:09:39]Grid fins are a critical part of Falcon 9's reusability system.

[00:09:54]You may also be seeing white puffs on screen. These are part of the Falcon 9's cold gas thruster system, which helps to orient it while in the vacuum of space.

[00:10:08]Reusability is key to lowering the cost of spaceflight, enabling more investments in >> All vehicles continue to follow nominal trajectories.

[00:10:18]Great confirmation that the vehicles remain healthy.

[00:10:24]The Falcon 9 first stage that is supporting today's mission is performing this entry burn for the ninth time.

[00:10:30]Again, that's coming up in just about 20 seconds.

[00:10:35]You should see the graphics light up as the engines do on the bottom of your screen.

[00:10:51]Stage one FTS is safe.

[00:10:56]Stage one entry burn startup.

[00:11:01]There's the callout for entry burn startup on the Falcon 9 first stage.

[00:11:04]This burn is set to last about 30 seconds and is slowing the vehicle down in preparation for its final burn and landing.

[00:11:17]Stage one entry burn shutdown.

[00:11:21]We just heard the callout for entry burn shutdown, signifying the completion of the Falcon 9 first stage entry burn.

[00:11:27]Coming up next with the first stage landing burn in just a few seconds.

[00:11:35]>> The landing burn is the final burn of the Falcon 9 booster used to reduce the remaining speed of the vehicle for precise landing on our drone ship, in this case.

[00:12:00]You can now see the grid fins maneuvering the vehicle as it positions itself for that landing.

[00:12:11]Stage two FTS is safe.

[00:12:14]Stage one is transonic.

[00:12:17]The landing burn is going to start in just about 20 seconds.

[00:12:41]Stage two is in terminal guidance.

[00:12:46]Stage one landing burn.

[00:12:48]And there's that call out. That means that we are in the final burn for this booster before landing.

[00:13:02]Landing leg deploy.

[00:13:13]Stage one landing confirmed.

[00:13:15]And another successful landing of our Falcon 9 rocket.

[00:13:21]As mentioned at the top of the program, we will not be showing any stage two or deployment views today at the request of our customer.

[00:13:28]So, with the successful recovery of that first stage, we'll be bringing our live mission coverage to a close. We'd like to thank the National Reconnaissance Office for entrusting us with today's mission, as well as the range and FAA for their support.

[00:13:41]If you're interested in more launch coverage, head over to spacex.com/launches for the most up-to-date information.

[00:13:48]While you're there, check out our departure board with all the details about our upcoming missions.

[00:13:53]And of course, remember to follow @SpaceX on X for more updates. Thanks for joining and we'll see you again soon.

[00:14:18]>> [music]